Never be like Him
by Tempest Rose
Summary: When Reid discovers that an old flame has died and left behind two children, he makes a promise to himself to never be like his own father was.
1. Chapter 1

**Tempest Rose: I do not own Criminal Minds or anything you recognize.**

"You have reached the Goddess of Information. Speak and be heard mortal."

"Hey, Garcia, it's Elle. As much as I would love to chat, this isn't a social call."

"Elle! Oh my god, honey, how are you? And if this isn't a social call, what can I do for you?"

"I'm doing alright, but I was wondering if you could tell me where the team is and how I can get in touch with Reid. It's very important that I talk to him as soon as possible."

"Well sweetness, our illustrious do-gooders are in Salt Lake on the case of a serial killer. Just one second and I will give you the good doctor's digits. Just answer one question for me first, what is this about?"

"Garcia, I can't give you the details. All I can tell you is that I'm a social worker in Salt Lake and I need to talk to him about a woman he used to know. I can't tell you anything more than that without speaking to him first. I know you're really curious, I'd be worried if you weren't, but please don't hack my caseload to find out."

With a sigh, the blonde agreed to leave the files alone. Rattling off the number for Reid's cell, Garcia said her farewell to Elle. Turning back to her work, she grimaced at the horror on her screens. This was the worst part of her job, having to see the aftermath of the worst of humanity.

* * * *

Staring at the map on the corkboard, Reid was desperately looking for a pattern. The unsub was using some twisted interpretation of the Wizard of Oz. A priest who had been described as incredibly compassionate and caring to a fault had had his heart removed. A firefighter who had been given commendations for his bravery had his spine cut out. And most recently, a world-renowned professor of mathematics had his brain removed. The unsub was collecting the very things that the Wizard had given Dorothy's traveling companions, and the team had no idea if this meant that he was done killing yet or not. Tucking his hair behind his ear, Reid leaned back against the table in the conference room that the local LEOs had set aside for the team. Throwing back the last of his lukewarm coffee with a frown, Reid nearly jumped straight in the air when he heard a knock on the door behind him. Spinning to greet the newcomer, Reid gasped in shock at the face he saw.

"Elle? What are you doing here?"

"Hi Reid, I'm actually here on business. I called Garcia and she said you guys were here in town so I figured I would come and talk to you in person. Do you know a woman named Amber Serano?"

"Um, yeah I know her. We haven't spoken in almost nine years though."

Were you aware of the fact that she had a twin son and daughter?"

"How old are they?"

"Just turned eight last month." For a moment Reid was quiet and still, silently running calculation in his head. Suddenly their breakup made sense. He had loved Amber dearly, and even considered marrying her once upon a time. Reid had never understood why she had left so abruptly; Amber had barely even bothered to leave a note. It was clear now that she had been pregnant, and the odds of the children being his wwere incredibly high. Looking back at Elle, Reid tried to dislodge the frog in his throat so he could speak.

"I don't suppose you have a picture of them with you?"

Elle reached into her bag and pulled out a photo that had been taken at the twins' birthday party last month. Handing it to him, she began to mention calling in a favor to rush a paternity test if he would like. Collapsing into the closest chair , Reid told her that the test wouldn't be necessary. Staring at the picture in utter shock, he absently noticed how much his children looked like him. His daughter was like a perfect blend of Amber and his mother, while the boy could easily have been his clone.

"So how did Amber die? I can't imagine that you would be talking to me if she was still alive."

With a sigh, Elle replied to his question. "Miss Serano was struck and killed by a drunk driver two nights ago while walking to her car after work. Liam and Mariah are still with their babysitter, as she offered to watch them until you could be contacted. If Hotch is willing to let you go, Mrs. Colt would be happy to let you visit them."

Before Reid could answer her, he spotted Hotch and Morgan through the window of the conference room. The two of them were manhandling a man toward the holding cells on the other side of the station. Next came Rossi, Emily, and JJ; and they turned toward the room he and Elle were in. As they entered the room, Emily and Rossi regarded the former profiler with cautious curiosity while informing Reid that the unsub had been caught. Outside, a local officer had waylaid JJ, so she was walking in just in front of Morgan and Hotch. The blonde gasped in shock when she came into the room.

"Elle! What are you doing here?"

The former profiler smiled at the blonde, but never got the chance to answer. Just as Elle was about to speak, Reid stood abruptly and moved toward the door. Turning back to face Elle, his mouth opened and closed a few times before finding his voice.

"Take me there. Take me to meet them. Please Elle."

"Ok Reid, let's go."

Smiling an apology to JJ, Hotch, and Morgan, Elle followed the young genius out the door. Meeting him in the parking lot, she indicated that he could either ride with her or follow her. Not trusting himself to drive safely, Reid chose to let Elle take him to his children.


	2. Chapter 2

**TR: If you recognize it, I don't own it. I do own Mrs. Colt and the twins though, so if you want to borrow them ask me first.**

Pulling up in front of a cookies cutter home in what looked to be a very nice suburban neighborhood, Reid could hardly contain his nervous energy. He was about to meet his children for the first time. He had no idea how to be a dad, and knowing that they had just lost the only parent they had ever known made him shift nervously in his seat in thought. Climbing out of the car, Reid tried desperately to figure out what to say to his kids. His planning time was cut short by Elle knocking on the door of the picturesque dwelling. In mere moments, a woman who looked to be in her early fifties answered the door. Smiling warmly, she greeted her guests.

"Miss Greenaway, how good to see you. I take it this is Dr. Reid? My goodness you and Liam look a lot alike. The children are in the living room right now, so Miss Greenaway and I will just go wait in the kitchen while you talk. I should warn you though, they are extremely bright so don't let them intimidate you. I believe that when Amber, God rest her, took them to be tested, Liam and Mariah both scored IQs of 160."

Reid sighed when he heard that, his face betraying far more sorrow than he should have felt for his children. Elle and Mrs. Colt looked confused, not understanding why he was upset to hear how intelligent his children are. Stopping just outside the living room, Mrs. Colt asked him about his reaction.

"I lived through the hell of being a child prodigy in the public school system. I would never wish that on anyone, least of all my own children." Without looking back to see the faces of the women in the hall, he walked into the room where his children were.

Liam and Mariah were curled up together on a beige suede love seat, each clutching tightly to a stuffed animal. Seeing them in person, the resemblances were so much more startling and obvious. Both children had chocolately brown hair, but only Mariah had inherited his curls. She also had the same circles under her eyes that Reid knew from experience never went away. Both kids had their mother's vibrant green eyes, the color made more brilliant by the redness and swelling caused by the tears they had shed. Reid sat on the sturdy coffee table in front of the love seat, clearing his throat as he tried to find the words to apologize for his absence up to now. Before he could open his mouth, Liam looked him dead in the eyes and spoke.

"Would you have been there? If you had known, I mean?" His voice was soft and timid, and Reid's hands twitched with the urge to hold and comfort the hurting children. Taking a breath to sooth his ragged emotions, Reid answered his son.

"God yes, of course I would have been around for you anytime you needed me. I know what it's like to grow up without a dad, mine left when I wasn't much older than you. I swear to you both that I will always be here for you from now on. Always."

With a bit of a sniffle, Mariah's eyes snapped to his face. Reid could see shock and a hint of fear in the green orbs, and that confused him greatly. She shifted just a bit, sitting a little straighter as she cried out. "No! You can't quit just for us! Liam and I know what you do for a living and you can't stop that now. You catch bad guys and you save people, do you know how bad we would feel if you gave that up now? If you stopped saving people just because of us? We couldn't stand it, don't quit."

Liam nodded vehemently, picking up where she left off. "We looked you up a few years ago because we wanted to contact you, but mom wouldn't let us. We could never figure out why she didn't want you know. Eventually we stopped asking her to help us find you because we know we'll be going to college in a few years and she can't control the mail then. Mom always made sure we knew how proud she was that we took after you in school. Do you know if there are any schools in Virginia for kids that are smart like us?"

"We're tired of getting picked on and bullied all the time." Mariah commented sadly, her face buried against the head of her teddy bear. Liam broke eye contact at her comment, picking at the fur on his own bear nervously.

Blinking rapidly to avoid crying, Reid leaned forward and wrapped an arm around each child. Pulling them close, he felt his voice break as he tried to comfort them. "I don't know about that, but I will find out. You have to know that I would never have wished this on you. Maybe it's stupid, maybe it's cruel, but I wish like hell you two had normal IQs just so that you could be spared the torment that I went through everyday. Just don't ever think for a second that I love you any less because of your intelligence."

Liam and Mariah both pulled back in shock, not really believing what they were hearing. Liam blinked owlishly, his voice just barely above a whisper. "You love us? But you don't even know us! How can you be sure?"

Reid sighed, thinking about how to explain his feelings for a moment. Leaning back a bit to look at them, he cupped both their faces in his palms and smiled as he replied. "I don't know. I can't explain in logical terms why I love you so much so soon, but I don't think it's something that can be quantified to be honest. I just know that you two are very important to me now and I am going to do everything in my power to take care of you."

The children seemed surprised to hear that, though they accepted the reasoning without further questioning. With one more pathetic sounding sniffle, Mariah did her best to sound confident. "So, um, can we come stay with you? Like tonight? Mom's funeral is tomorrow morning, and everything we're keeping is already boxed up. We have our funeral clothes together and suitcases with clothes in them that we can take with us. Please?"

"Well, I am sharing a room with one of my team mates, but I doubt Morgan will mind. There's a chance that the team will want to be at the service tomorrow so I hope you don't mind." Reid smiled slightly; thrilled beyond words that Liam and Mariah wanted to be so near him so soon. "Go get your bags and bring something to do with you since I'm pretty sure that I'll have some paperwork to do. I'm going to go talk to Mrs. Colt and let her know so that Elle can give us a ride back to the hotel."

Smiling as brightly as they could manage, Liam and Mariah clambered off of the love seat and took off upstairs. Shaking his head, Reid stood up from his perch on the coffee table. With a slight wince form the pain of his knee, he headed toward the kitchen in an effort to find Elle and Mrs. Colt. Entering the room, Reid sighted the two women sitting at the table in the center of the room, two thick folders lying off to one side. Leaning against the counter, he scrubbed his face with one hand before beginning to speak.

"Do you, um, do you know who is going to be responsible for shipping their possessions to Virginia? I need to get their number for when I get a place big enough for all three of us. Also, I'm taking them with me to the hotel tonight. They asked, and I could really use their support just to make sure I'm not going crazy. What grade are they in by the way?"

Mrs. Colt gave him a reassuring smile, pleased to see the young man take to his children so quickly. "I have all of their things, and my number is in both of their files. All of their paperwork is here and ready for you. The children are in eighth grade and for some reason they just love reading true crime books. I'm not sure that they're really old enough for those books, but Amber never seemed to have any problems with it. Their favorite author is a man named David Rossi, have you heard of him?"

Biting his lip, Reid nodded as his shoulders shook with silent laughter. Tilting his head to listen for the children, he leaned forward and spoke in a stage whisper. "I work with him, but don't tell the kids. I want to surprise them." Elle and Mrs. Colt both grinned at him, highly amused by the man in front of them.

Picking up the folders from the table and stuffing them in his tan satchel, Reid followed Elle out of the kitchen and to the front door. Waiting for Liam and Mariah didn't take long, and soon the four of them were saying goodbye to Mrs. Colt and climbing into Elle's car.

**TR: Well we have now seen the last of Elle; she has served her purpose for me. Up next, the twins meet the team.**


	3. Chapter 3

**TR: The twins are mine; I'm just borrowing everyone else. **

The elevator ride up to Reid's floor was spent talking. In that time he learned that both of his kids hated spinach but loved apples. He found out that Mariah's favorite color was orange, while Liam preferred brown. They had never seen the original Star Trek, but they adored Harry Potter. Liam loved to draw, and Mariah dreamed of learning to write computer code like a pro. Reid laughed warmly at that, saying he would introduce her to someone who would be thrilled to teach her, so long as she promised not to dye her hair odd colors. Mariah looked a bit confused by that, but agreed nonetheless. When the three Reids finally made it to the room, Spencer noticed that the door was ajar. Motioning silently for Liam and Mariah to stay back, he let his right hand rest on his revolver as his left pushed the door open all the way. The sight that greeted him almost made Reid want to slam his head into the wall. The entire team was in his and Morgan's room doing paperwork. Nodding an ok to his kids, Reid walked into the room and greeted his friends.

"Hey guys."

"Reid, I expect you have a good reason as to why you left the station like that." Hotch demanded, his voice sounding about as forgiving as a brick wall.

"Nope." Reid replied cheekily as he removed his ever-present messenger bag. Walking down the narrow and secluded mini-hall, he shut the door to the room and gathered Liam and Mariah's things.

"No?" Yikes! Even Rossi sounded extremely pissed off.

Taking a breath, Reid lifted both Liam and Mariah's suitcases and the garment bag they shared. Turning to put the three parcels with his own go bag, he spoke again. "I don't have a good reason, I have two. Their names are Liam Matthew Reid and Mariah Rose Reid. Elle was informing me of their existence, as she is their caseworker, and also the fact that I am now their only parent. Is that good enough for you? By the way, I'll be at a funeral tomorrow morning, so do I need to get three commercial plane tickets back to Virginia?" At the mention of their names, Liam and Mariah moved into view. They didn't stay in the open for very long, preferring to hide partially behind their father as they silently stared at the group of FBI agents.

No one spoke at first, mostly because no one knew what to say. The room appeared frozen for almost a full minute until JJ stood and walked to where Reid's bag lay on the luggage rack. Picking up the garment bag, she launched into full mom mode. "Spence, garment bags have hooks for a reason. They aren't meant to be thrown haphazardly wherever you feel like. And have you thought about who they'll stay with when we go out on cases? I'm not sure Will and I have the room and Garcia works just as much as we do. And you'll need to find a new place –"

Reid cut JJ off, doing his best not to sound as defensive as he felt. "JJ stop. I was going to hang that in just a second anyway but thanks. Gideon has been offered a teaching position at the Academy, and he and I had already talked about splitting the cost of someplace. Since I'm sure he won't object to being Liam and Mariah's grandpa, that's not really an issue. I'm more than happy to sleep on my couch and let them have my bed until I find a place for all four of us to live. I know how to cook and so does Gideon, none of us will starve."

Out of the corner of his eye Reid had been watching Morgan type diligently on the laptop that the team shared while out of town. As the other man moved toward the complimentary printer in the room, Reid felt a jolt of pain shoot from his left knee that made the inside of his right elbow burn with need. Emily rushed to stack the pillows on his bed against the wall so that he could sit upright as JJ quickly grabbed water and aspirin. Reid moved to site with his back against the pillows, taking the pain medicine from the blonde gratefully. Once he was settled, he patted the mattress with both hands. Liam and Mariah had been still as statues while their father sat, but they quickly got the message and practically launched themselves onto the bed to be near their dad. Biting the inside of her lip, Mariah gently asked if he was ok.

"I'll be just fine, sweetie, don't worry. A few months ago we were trying to catch a bad guy and I got hurt. He shot me just above the knee, and sometimes if I move just right it'll hurt really badly again. Today it's my own fault for sitting on Mrs. Colt's coffee table instead of using a chair." Reid said soothingly, doing his best to keep the twins from worrying. Suddenly feeling exceptionally wicked, he pointed out something that Liam and Mariah had missed. "You know, I'm surprised you two are so worried about me. You could be taking this time to get to know one of your favorite authors; after all, David Rossi is just across the room."

The ruse went off without a hitch on Mariah, who spun to face her idol. Liam, on the other hand, wasn't fooled. "If your left knee is where you got shot, why did you grab at the inside of your right elbow dad?" All motion stopped as everyone turned to look at Liam and Spencer. To his credit, the new dad just stroked his son's hair with a sad smile on his face as he explained.

"Several years ago, I was held hostage by a man with multiple personalities. All three of them hurt me, but only one had lasting effects. The base persona would inject me with a powerful narcotic called Dilaudid to cope with the pain, and I got hooked. I even went so far as to steal the vials out of his pocket once he was dead. I've been clean for almost three years now, but addiction is something you never completely heal from. I will never allow a doctor to give me a narcotic pain medicine again because I'm afraid that I'll abuse it. Almost everyday I crave that needle in my arm, but I resist it. And if it gets to the point that I need help resisting, I go to a meeting and talk with other recovering addicts and remember that I'm not alone."

Liam and Mariah had no idea what to say, so they opted to just curl into Reid's sides and support their father in the only way they could. Out of all the adults in the room, Morgan snapped out of his shocked daze the fastest. Crossing to Reid's bed, he handed the thin man a stack of real estate listing and told the genius to pick one. Reid looked puzzled for a moment as he flipped quickly through the pages, noting that all of the properties currently belonged to his best friend.

"Morgan, these are all your properties."

"Yeah I know, now pick one man."

"I'm not sure I could afford them, even with Gideon helping." Reid and Morgan both knew that was a lie, but the younger man needed to test Morgan's intentions.

"That doesn't matter, kid. Your money is no good with me, so stop making excuses and pick a house."

"You're just going to give me a house, is that what you're saying?"

"Yeah it is. I know what it's like to live in a single parent home, and yours is now whether Gideon moves in with you or not. Why do you think I still do so much of Hotch's paperwork even though I'm not in charge anymore? Just let me be a friend and help you out ok?"

Reid was flabbergasted; he had never been shown so much kindness or generosity before. Naturally, Murphy reared his head to spoil the moment as three stomachs growled in tandem. Hotch chuckled at the sound as he reached for a phonebook.

"Is pizza alright for everyone? I'd suggest going out but Reid needs to stay off his knee."

Shyly raising his hand, Liam asked if they could get one with anchovies. Rossi grinned happily, thrilled that he was not the only one who wanted that topping. By the team's own rules, a minimum of two people had to want the same pizza topping before it would be ordered. Hotch rolled his eyes at the older man, resigned to the fact that anchovies would have to be ordered.

"Alright Rossi, you win. We'll get a medium pizza for you and Liam to share. What kind of pizza would you like Mariah?"

"Um, just cheese is fine. But I wouldn't say no to black olives."

JJ smiled at the little girl, stroking her brown locks as the blonde shoved a pillow made from a rolled up jacket under Reid's knee. "Sweetie, you are definitely your father's daughter. He loves black olives on his pizza too."

Reid leaned to one side as he fished out his wallet. Pulling a ten for the pizza fund, he grabbed three ones and handed them to JJ. "Would you take Liam and Mariah to the vending machines down the hall and get them some drinks? I'm gonna stick to coffee, surprise surprise, so you can use the extra dollar on yourself." She nodded and thanked him for the drink.

After JJ had gotten the kids out of the room, Emily asked Reid something that had been bugging her since he walked into the room. "Would it be an invasion of privacy for us to be at their mom's funeral tomorrow? I mean, I know we're all basically family, which means that your kids are family, but would it be weird if we came?"

"No, I don't think so. In fact I think it would be good for them. And Rossi, after they've been fed, I'd be willing to bet that you are going to be the center of their attention. The service starts at nine tomorrow, so I'll try to have Liam and Mariah ready to go by eight thirty."

Hotch hung up on the pizza place after giving the team's order. Sitting at the foot of Reid's bed with one leg tucked underneath him, Hotch looked at the younger man and asked the most important question on his mind. "How are you doing Reid, and I don't mean your knee? How are you really coping with that fact that you're a dad now?"

"Well besides the fact that I have no idea what I'm doing because my dad never stuck around long enough for me to use as a role model, I am overwhelmingly pissed at Amber for keeping them from me. I'm crushed that they will never get a normal childhood because they're like me. And I am in awe of Sarah Hillridge. I just met my kids and I have no idea what I would do if someone took them, how she kept hope for eight years is beyond me. Her son was taken when mine were newborns, and all the facts and statistics in the world aren't helping me process that math. Mostly I'm more terrified than ever of ending up like my mom because I'm the only blood relative they have. And at the same time, I am ridiculously happy to be a dad because I was beginning to think I would never get the chance to have a family. I want to do right by them, and now I think I can understand just a bit how hard it was for you to come back. Do you know that they begged me not to quit? Mariah said that they found out about what I do for a living a few years ago, and that she and Liam would feel guilty if I left the BAU to raise them. I'm pretty sure I have the coolest kids ever." Reid looked up at Hotch with a grin, truly in awe of his progeny.

Hotch nodded simply, accepting the answer he had been given. Looking up as JJ and the twins came back into the room, Hotch gently patted Reid's shin. "Call Garcia, see if she can find a school for your kids."

Reid nodded and picked up his phone. Pausing before he dialed, he asked Morgan to hand him the laptop.

**TR: Wow, this chapter almost didn't want to end. Hopefully chapter four will be up soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**TR: Yet another chapter out! Go me! Too bad spring break ends in three days and I have to go back to school. Ah well, as I've said before, only the twins are mine so don't take them. On with the story!**

"Office of supreme awesomeness, talk to me. Dear god, Reid when were you cloned and why was I not informed? And who is the adorable little girl on your left?" Reid chuckled lightly, Liam and Mariah each tucked against one side. Looking at each other in confusion briefly, Liam turned toward the computer screen and answered the strange woman.

"Um, I'm not his clone. My sister and I both have green eyes and Dad's are brown. Who are you?" Liam's face looked just like his father's when working on a puzzle. Next to him, Reid barely restrained the urge to let his face fall into his palm. Reid could see that JJ, Emily, and Garcia were seconds away from cooing over his son. Garcia's chance to gush over his kids was thankfully interrupted by the door to her office cave being opened. Spinning to see who had come in, the red headed tech gasped in shock.

"Gideon? Sir, um, what are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, but I feel very confused right now. I mean you're here just out of the blue, Reid apparently has kids, and I would really love some answers."

In Salt Lake, the BAU team had all turned toward the computer in surprise. What was Gideon doing at the Bureau, let alone in Garcia's office? Morgan walked over and plopped down on Reid's bed, leaning in front of Mariah to see the screen of the laptop. Sulking slightly, the girl in question tapped on Morgan's back to get his attention.

"Yes?"

"You're in my way. Could you move so that I can see the screen too please?" Morgan had to bite back a grin, not wanting Mariah to feel like he was making fun of her. On the other end of the web cam, Gideon had pulled up a chair so that he and Garcia could focus on the conversation. Smiling at the antics of her best friend, Garcia spoke to Mariah.

"Oh honey, just smack him. And Derek Morgan, didn't your mother teach you manners? Cutting in front of a little girl just to talk to me is sweet, but rude. Now I expect you to apologize to her and go back to your own seat." Garcia tried to look angry with Morgan, but it really didn't work so well. Watching him tell Mariah that he was sorry did amuse the tech greatly though.

A knock on the door served to distract everyone in the room very well. Looking through the peephole in the door, Rossi proclaimed that the pizza had arrived. Mariah and Liam both gave a bit of a cheer and moved to jump off the bed, only to be held back by Reid.

"Stop. I have a few rules before you get up. You will use plates if you want to eat on the bed with me, or you will eat at the table. You will use napkins, and your drinks will stay closed and on the nightstand until you want them. That said, would you please bring me two slices on a plate?"

Liam looked him in the eyes and asked a question of his own. "Do you want anything to drink? Because we can get you that too. How's your knee feeling anyway?"

Reid ruffled his son's hair, smiling at the boy. "My knee is doing just fine, but thanks for asking. I wouldn't say no to a cup of coffee, but ask either JJ or Morgan to help you make it ok?" Liam nodded before he and Mariah hopped off the bed. As his kids ran toward the food, Reid realized that Garcia was pinning him with a very concerned look.

"Spencer Reid, what did you do to your knee?"

"Well, when Elle took me to meet Liam and Mariah at their babysitter's house, I decided to sit on her coffee table instead of using a chair. My knee then decided to raise a protest to being bent like that. It's feeling much better now though."

As Liam and Mariah settled back down with their pizza, Gideon spotted the anchovies on Liam's plate. Shaking his head as he sipped his coffee, the former profiler spoke. "Reid, tell Dave to stop corrupting my grandson's taste buds."

"Oh come off it Jason, Liam asked for anchovies without any input from me. You should be happy that he has such good taste in pizza toppings."

Reid chuckled lightly as the two men bickered from opposite sides of the country. Taking a bite out of his own pizza, Reid waited for the other shoe to drop. Garcia hadn't gotten on him about his kids yet. He was hoping that she was waiting for him to eat at least a little bit before starting the interrogation. Fortunately, Mariah's curiosity got the better of her and she put down her pizza to speak.

"So who exactly are you two? Dad's mentioned our names so you know those, but we don't know either of you. And Mr. Rossi called you Jason, but she called you Gideon, and you called Liam your grandson so what are we supposed to call you?" Mariah babbled, gesturing with one hand between Garcia and Gideon. The little girl tried to look very serious, but the effect ended up being more similar to an annoyed kitten.

Garcia smiled at the little girl before answering. "Oh honey you and your brother can just call me Aunt Penny. And you, Dr. Reid, why did you not tell me that you have kids? Is this why Elle made me promise not to hack her case files?"

"Hold on just a second Reid, you can answer Garcia in just a minute. Liam, Mariah, you two can call me Grandpa Jason ok? And since I know everyone is curious about what I'm doing here, I'll tell you while I'm able to get a word in. Strauss found out that I'm coming back to teach at the Academy and tried to talk me into returning to the team. I refused because I know she only wants to use me as a way to get rid of Hotch, and I won't be party to that. Now, Spencer, care to explain why you suddenly have children?"

Smiling ruefully, Reid tucked some errant hairs behind his ear. Picking up his coffee and taking a fortifying gulp, he started his tale. "I knew Liam and Mariah's mom back in college, but we broke up about nine years ago when she left. Amber obviously knew that I was the father of her children since my name is on both birth certificates, but she refused to have me be a part of their lives. Unfortunately, a drunk driver killed Amber two nights ago. Elle was their social worker and now I am their only surviving parent. Which brings me to the original reason for getting in touch with you Garcia. I need you to find any schools in or around Quantico that cater to exceptionally bright children, since they both have IQs of 160. While you're at it, print up a list of the vacant properties that Morgan owns for Gideon to look at. Apparently, he's giving me a house, and if you're still interested in sharing a place, you deserve to have some input Gideon."

Garcia looked floored at how flippantly he explained the situation. She knew Reid well enough to know how bothered he really was by the situation. It wasn't so much that he had children, the young genius had confided to Garcia that he wanted the chance to have a family someday. He was crushed and angry that he had missed so much of his kids' lives. She felt bad for the twins on the other side of the screen; they had probably gone through just as much torment as their dad did growing up.

"Ok, Mr. Genius, two questions for you. What grade are your kids in and, because I'm nosy, what are you going to tell your mom?"

Reid sucked in a breath, he hadn't thought that far ahead. "Liam and Mariah are in eighth grade right now, and I don't know. I don't want to lie to her, but since she and my dad are in regular contact now, I have to take him into consideration."

From across the room, Rossi put his two cents in. "What are you going to do if he wants to be a part of your children's lives?" Having been there when the young profiler underwent hypnosis, Rossi felt as though he had a particular insight into the Reid family dynamic.

Looking down at the children at his sides, Reid sighed and looked up to meet the eyes of his teammate. "Honestly? I have no clue. But to be truthful, I have no reason to trust that he'll actually stick around and be there if Mariah and Liam need him. Gideon is already willing to be their grandfather, and as of now I see no reason to set my children up for the pain of him deciding he can't deal. Again."

Looking at his father, Liam took both of their empty plates and set them aside. "I don't know that I want to meet this guy. From the sound of it he abandoned you, and I'm not sure that he's worth our attention. I certainly don't want anything to do with him at this point and I'm pretty sure Mariah feels the same way." In response to her brother's comment, Mariah nodded; though that was quickly followed by a yawn.

"Do I need to move to a chair so you two can go to sleep?"

Liam shook his head and tried to stifle a yawn of his own. "No, you can stay. I don't wanna go to sleep yet; it's not even eight. 'Sides, I still need to take a bath before bed." All the adults smiled at the little boy. Garcia and Gideon said their own farewells, the latter promising to take at look at the property to take a look at the property list that Garcia had printed for him. At the same time, Hotch and JJ gathered up all the miscellaneous paperwork and headed for the door. Rossi had gathered up all the trash on his way out after them.

Pausing inside the door, Emily looked over at the twins going through their suitcases. "If you want, I'll come by in the morning and help with Mariah's hair."

Sighing as he stood for the first time in three hours, Reid walked over to where she stood. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he bowed his head in gratitude. "Emily Prentiss, you are a life saver. I have no idea how to do hair, so I would have been calling you and JJ in a panic come morning anyway. Can you be here at eight? That should give me time to get everything else together and ready so I can pay attention to how you do it."

"Eight is fine Reid, I'll bring JJ too just in case. Now stop freaking out and just get your kids to bed. I'll see you in the morning." Emily laughed slightly as she left for the night. She knew Reid would be a great dad; he was just a little overwhelmed as the moment. Shaking her head, Emily fought down the urge to experience parenthood vicariously through her surrogate younger brother.

Inside the room, Reid and Morgan managed to get some order established. Liam took his bath, both kids brushed their teeth, and they climbed into the bed with space enough for dad between them. Looking at the two drowsy children made the two men realize just how tired they were from the case that just closed. Reid called dibs on the bathroom so that he could settle in between his kids sooner, and Morgan didn't fight it. As he got his own turn to prepare for bed, the older profiler heard his roomie tell his children a story before bed. Morgan smiled at the sound, glad that his friend had a chance at happiness. He knew that his new niece and nephew would do the young man good.

**TR: Yay, another one done. Up next will be the funeral and the flight back to Virginia. **


	5. Chapter 5

**TR: Standard disclaimer applies. There is a brief cameo by Elle, but after this I promise I'm done with her. Now, on with the story.**

The problem with going to bed early, Reid felt, was that it made him get up extra early. So in reality he shouldn't have been surprised when his over-achieving brain turned back on at five AM sharp. At first Reid was content to lie between his children and let his mind wander, but that only lasted long enough for his bladder to wake up. Slowly and quietly prying loose two sets of limbs, the genius profiler took a second to congratulate himself on not waking Liam and Mariah. But alas, nature was calling rather insistently, so Reid headed for the bathroom. Stopping for just a moment to pull a fresh change of clothes from his go-bag, he decided to grab a quick shower now before any competition woke up.

Rolling over in his bed, Derek Morgan reached blindly for his cell phone on the nightstand. Pressing a button on the side in order to make the display light up, the man almost groaned when he saw that it was only six. Recalling the events of the previous day, Morgan managed to maintain his silence, not wanting to disturb the sleeping children in the other bed. Getting up and preparing for his own shower, Morgan was not in the least bit surprised to see Reid in a chair at the desk working. Verifying that the twins were still dead to the world, he decided to take his time and enjoy a long shower. Morgan thought that hotels were great, because you could shower for as long as you want without worrying about the water bill.

By six forty-five, Reid's stomach was growling. Not wanting to worry about getting their nice clothes dirty with breakfast, he decided to wake his kids. Reid reasoned that it would be more comfortable for them to eat in their pajamas, and there would be plenty of time for sleep on the jet. Walking over to the bed that Liam and Mariah were in, he plopped down at the foot of it with enough force to make the mattress bounce. Reid knew he had woken his children up when two sets of bleary green eyes locked onto his face. With a smile, the young doctor spoke. "Morning you two. I know it's early, but you need to get up and eat so we can get ready."

"Don't wanna." Mariah whined with a pout on her face.

"If you get up right now, you can have donuts for breakfast. Otherwise, I'll just pick out some cold cereal for you. And just as a warning, I'll be making that choice based on nutritional value, not taste." Reid replied, trying to make his smirk look more like a smile.

From the door to the bathroom, Morgan laughed as the kids jumped out of bed. Turning to the younger agent, he spoke. "Bribery, pretty boy? I never thought you would do something like that."

Looking for all the world like a Cheshire cat, Reid cocked an eyebrow at one of his surrogate brothers. "It worked didn't it? I figured donuts were better incentive than anything else I could offer, so I went with it. But if you have any ideas on how else I could have gotten them up so fast, I'd be happy to hear them."

Morgan had to admit defeat; in all honesty he would have probably done the same in Reid's shoes. With one more soft chuckle at the eagerness Liam and Mariah showed at the prospect of donuts, Dad and Uncle Derek corralled the children down to where the continental breakfast was held.

By seven thirty, Morgan and the Reids had returned to their room. It was determined quite quickly that as Mariah was the only girl, she would change in the bathroom. Before the dress clothes emerged, however, both children took their own turns brushing teeth and hair. Out in the room, Liam had on his pants and shirt and was trying to select a pair of mismatched socks when Mariah cracked open the bathroom door.

"Daddy, I need help."

Turning sharply at the pathetic sound of his daughter's voice, Reid asked what she needed help with. "I can't reach far enough to zip my dress or tie the sash. And the buckles on my shoes won't cooperate either. Will you help me please?"

"Of course I will sweetheart. Just turn around and hold your hair out of the way ok? I don't want to catch it in the zipper." With a smile on his face, Reid helped his daughter finish dressing. He found it oddly comforting to do such a domestic and seemingly inane task. This was the life he wanted. The life he never thought he would get. Standing up and turning, Reid almost laughed at the sight of his son. Liam was glaring into his suitcase, bare toes flexing into the carpet as he tried to pick socks to wear. Before he could help the boy choose however, there was a knock on the door.

Peeking through the peephole, Reid saw Emily and JJ waiting on the other side. Glancing at his watch, he noted that the women were about ten minutes early. Opening the door with a smile, Reid greeted the women and invited them in. Noting that JJ and Emily had brought their bags, he realized that they planned to stay until it was time to go. Reid bit back a smile when they both came to a halt, staring at Liam. With a smile and a bit of a chuckle, JJ walked up to the boy. Shutting the door, Reid got his son's attention.

"Liam, why don't you let Aunt JJ help you finish getting ready, while Aunt Emily teaches me how to do your sister's hair."

The boy nodded, turning to the petite blonde who had made it to his side. Looking at JJ, Liam had a pout on his face. "I can't decide which socks to wear. I don't want to pick something too bright because that would be disrespectful, but I can't find two dark socks that look ok together."

"Does it matter if the colors match if the patterns are different? Because I see a black and gray striped sock and a black and gray argyle sock that would work together."

Smiling up at his new Aunt, Liam nodded that her idea would work. From the other side of the room, Reid looked on both his kids with an affection he had never anticipated feeling in his life. Turning to Emily, he was only mildly surprised to see her running a brush through Mariah's hair.

"So Mariah, I was thinking that a braid would be good for today, is that alright?"

Looking over her shoulder at Emily, Mariah chewed her lip a bit as she made a request. "Do you know how to do a French braid? My hair gets really frizzy in normal braids."

"Oh no problem sweetheart. I even have some hair spray to take care of any frizzy hairs that are left sticking out."

Standing off to the side, Morgan was feeling rather useless. He wasn't sure exactly what to do to help his friends, so hearing another knock on the door was exactly his chance to do something. When Morgan opened the door to the sight of Hotch and Rossi, he smiled at the irony. Once again the whole team was together in the same room. Huddling just inside the door, the three men smiled at the sight before them. JJ was trying to get Liam to hold still so she could help him with his tie, but the little boy was antsy. Mariah was also having difficulty staying still while Reid stood behind her with a look of intense concentration on his face. Thankfully both children were ready in mere moments, and the adults were greatly amused as they ran around the room gathering their things. Collecting all the room keys and their bags, Hotch and Rossi declared that they were headed down to the lobby to check out. Taking one last look through the room, Reid asked Liam and Mariah if they had all of their things. When the twins indicated that they had everything, the six people left in the room headed down to the lobby.

By the time the team and the twins were loaded up and ready to head over to the funeral home where the service was being held, it was only eight twenty. No one complained though, because arriving early was never a bad thing. As they walked into the funeral home, Reid realized that he didn't exactly miss Amber. What he mourned was the fact that his children were going to grow up without a mother. Heading straight to the front row, Reid chose a seat in the middle on the left side. As Liam and Mariah settled in on either side, he looked to see where his friends would sit. Reid expected to see Emily and JJ to sit beside his children, but instead Mariah had grabbed Hotch's hand and Liam had already pulled Morgan in to the open seat on his left. Next to Hotch was Emily, with Rossi sitting on the end of the aisle. As JJ took the seat to Morgan's left, the team of profilers was mildly shocked to see Elle walk up and take the seat near the wall on JJ's other side. Since there was still about ten minutes left, Elle moved down and introduced herself to Emily and Rossi before turning to Reid.

"I hope you don't mind me being here, Reid. I know I'm not a part of the team anymore, but I wanted to come."

"It's alright, Elle, I'm glad you're here. Kind of seems fitting to have you here, even though Gideon and Garcia couldn't be." The smile that Reid gave Elle was genuine, even if it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Soon enough, the service began, and Reid felt his children take his hands. Squeezing back in a silent show of comfort, he mentally detached himself from what was going on around him. Silently analyzing himself, Reid realized that the grief and sense of loss he felt was not as sharp or painful as how he had felt during Haley's funeral. Was it because he had heard Haley's end and the immediate aftermath? Was it because he hadn't seen Amber for almost nine years? Reid wasn't sure, but he could guess that he had difficulty feeling remorse for Amber's death because of all she had robbed him of. He had missed so much of Mariah and Liam's lives, and Reid would never get those years back.

By the time Reid pulled himself back to attention, the funeral service was over. As the team filed out to the parking lot and bid farewell to Elle, he noticed that both Liam and Mariah had tears in their eyes. That was to be expected after all, they had just bid farewell to the only parent they had known. Turning to Hotch, Reid asked if they could stop and grab some food since they would be in the air at lunchtime. With a gentle smile at the children, Hotch consented, and the group of eight headed for an early lunch.

**TR: Ah, another chapter done. Should I write them having lunch or skip straight to the flight? Review please and give me input! **


	6. Chapter 6

**TR: Another chapter done! This one was being quite a pain but I finally got it out. Once again, if you know it I don't own it. I also don't own the poem **_**The Duel**_** by Eugene Fields.**

Lunch had been a quick affair; the team had stopped in at a local Wendy's to grab burgers and fries before heading to the airport they had come in at. Much to Reid's relief, Liam and Mariah were both immune to motion sickness since they had never flown before. He could tell that they both wanted to change their clothes, so as soon as the seatbelt light turned off he stood and grabbed the suitcases they had brought along. Reid told the twins to take off their shoes before going to change so that he could put them back in the slots inside the garment bag. After pulling off the dress shoes that had given her so much trouble earlier, Mariah practically dove into her suitcase in search of clothes. Once she had pulled out everything she would need but shoes, the little girl raced to the small bathroom on board. Putting her clothes down, Mariah walked out and stopped next to Hotch, who just happened to have the closest seat. Tapping his arm, she used her best puppy face to help get the serious man's attention.

"What do you need Mariah?" Hotch asked kindly.

"Could you help me with my zipper? I can reach the sash but that's about it."

Closing the file he had been looking at, Hotch turned to Mariah. "Two conditions first. One is that I would like for you and your brother to call me Uncle Aaron."

"Ok. What's the second one?"

With a spark of mischief in his eyes, Hotch gently tapped her on the nose. "Never practice that look on your dad. The last thing you need is advice on how to improve it." That made Mariah giggle a bit as she turned. Once the zipper on her dress was down, the little girl thanked her uncle and dashed back into the bathroom.

In no time at all Mariah emerged with her dress over one arm and the tights she had been wearing balled up in the other hand. After handing her dress to Reid and putting the tights away, Mariah pulled out her teddy bear and a pair of sneakers before zipping the suitcase. Looking further down the length of the couch that the small family had commandeered, she saw Liam had done the same before heading to change. As Mariah shifted in her seat to tie her shoes, she heard Morgan chuckle. Looking at the bald black man, her face was a mask of confusion.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothin' princess, just wondering if you raided your dad's sock collection."

Looking at her feet, Mariah wondered what exactly he meant. She had on one orange sock and one maroon striped sock; did her dad have a pair the same color as hers? With an almost imperceptible shrug, Mariah decided that it didn't matter. By the time she had gotten her shoes tied, Liam had finished changing.

As he stood between the kids sitting on the couch, Reid got the last of the clothes into the garment bag and stowed the three pieces of luggage his children had brought. Sitting down between Liam and Mariah, Reid wasn't sure what to do. Should he try to do some work, or should he take the time to learn more about his kids? This dilemma was solved very quickly as the twins each huddled up to his sides. Moving his arms to hold his son and daughter, Reid looked down at them in concern. He wasn't entirely sure how he knew it, but something was bothering his kids, and the dad in him wanted nothing more than to make all of Liam and Mariah's problems disappear. Pushing all his knowledge of statistics and facts as far from conscious thought as possible, Reid pulled the twins a little closer and spoke softly to them.

"I know I'm pretty new at this whole dad thing, but you know you can talk to me right? I want to be here for you and make things better, but I don't want to force you to talk. And at the same time, I can't fix things if I don't know why they broke in the first place. Does that make any sense?"

Against his ribs, Reid felt Mariah nod, while Liam gave a deep and weary sigh. Looking up at his dad, the boy thought for a second before trying to explain. "We're just going through a weird emotional cycle right now. It's no fun to be stuck in an endless repetition of hurt, anger, and guilt."

Running his hands through Liam's short hair, Reid asked the boy to elaborate. Surprisingly, Mariah spoke up and beat him to it.

"We're hurting because we needed you and mom wouldn't let you be there. So we're angry at her for keeping you away, but then we feel guilty for being mad at mom since she's gone. But then the guilt just leads to more anger at ourselves because we deserve to be mad at her. I've spent years imagining what you would be like, but you're so much better. You've accepted us without question, gone out of your way to keep us from feeling like we're a burden, you even offered to quit your job for us!"

Liam's voice shook with unshed tears as he cut in. "Mom always tried to give us the impression that you didn't want kids and wouldn't want anything to do with us. She could never understand what it was like. Last year I got a black eye when one of the boys on the basketball team shoved me into a sink in the locker room. He told the teachers that I tripped and they all believed him, so did mom. She believed a stranger over me, she even told me to be more careful in the future. Mom never understood what it was like for us to be so much younger than everyone else, but you would have. We needed you around but she wouldn't let us find you."

Choking back his own tears, Reid pulled both children into his lap. Liam and Mariah each had a death grip on their bears as they tried to burrow into his chest. No one on the jet could even speak, they were all too busy trying to process the new information they had learned. From his seat opposite the couch, Rossi felt his blood burn in his veins. Had that woman ever even met Spencer Reid? To think that the young man would refuse to be involved in the lives of his own children was absolutely ridiculous. Glancing around, Rossi saw that the rest of the team seemed to echo his sentiment.

Desperately trying to find a way to lighten the mood, Morgan remembered a poem from his childhood. He didn't know all the words, but the story in it had been cute. Pulling out the laptop, Derek booted it up and emailed Garcia, knowing that his baby girl would have the text to him in mere moments. Sure enough, the bubbly red head had a link to the poem on his screen in seconds. Clearing his throat, Derek looked over to the couch to see how the twins were doing. Chuckling internally at the wide eyed stares he was receiving, he realized that Liam and Mariah must have thought he was trying to get their attention.

"Have you two ever heard of a poem called The Duel? It was my favorite when I was your age."

"You actually read poetry willingly?" Emily snarked at him.

Shooting a glare and sticking out his tongue at the brunette, Morgan turned back to the kids. When they indicated that the poem was not something they knew, he decided to read it to them.

"The gingham dog and the calico cat

Side by side on the table sat;

'Twas half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)

Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink!

The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate

Appeared to know as sure as fate

There was going to be a terrible spat.

(I wasn't there; I simply state

What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went 'bow-wow-wow!'

And the calico cat replied 'mee-ow!'

The air was littered, an hour or so,

With bits of gingham and calico,

While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place

Up with its hands before its face,

For it always dreaded a family row!

(Never mind: I'm only telling you

What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue

And wailed 'Oh Dear! What shall we do!'

But the gingham dog and the calico cat

Wallowed this way and tumbled that,

Employing every tooth and claw

In the awfullest way you ever saw-

And, oh! How the gingham and calico flew!

(Don't fancy I exaggerate-

I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat

They found no trace of dog or cat;

And some folks think unto this day

That burglars stole that pair away!

But the truth about the cat and pup

Is this: they ate each other up!

Now what do you really think of that!

(The old Dutch clock it told me so,

And that is how I came to know.)"

Sitting and listening to Morgan read this poem from the screen of the laptop; Reid realized that his friend was a natural born story teller. The older man had a light and cheery tone to his voice, but used great inflection with his words. If Morgan could ever get past his phobia of commitment, Reid thought that he would make an excellent father. Smiling just a bit at the sliver of happiness that had seeped back into the atmosphere, he noticed that even Mariah and Liam had relaxed some.

Reid was beginning to wonder how long the twins would continue to stay awake during the flight with how draining the last few days had been. As if on cue, Mariah leaned away from her father just enough to let out a jaw-cracking yawn. Life was catching up to her. Looking at her brother, Mariah saw that Liam was rubbing his eyes in an attempt to stay awake. Leaning back into her dad, she felt Reid lean down to drop a gentle kiss on the crown of her head before leaning the other direction to presumably do the same for Liam.

"Go to sleep, I'll wake you when we land." Reid spoke softly to his children. Looking up at the team as he felt two small bodies relax into his sides, Reid knew the he would be able to handle fatherhood. His family would be there to help him every step of the way.

**TR: Ok, that almost sounds like an ending. I promise that it's not, so don't panic on me guys! In the next installment, the twins meet Grandpa Jason and Aunt Penny, and Reid suspect Morgan of devious plotting. Stay tuned!**


	7. Chapter 7

**TR: Gah! Finally this chapter is done, I hit a bit of writers block for a short while. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, you have all been so kind to me that it just makes me want to keep writing instead of doing my homework! I love you all! As always, if you recognize it, it's not mine.**

True to his word, Reid woke Mariah and Liam as the jet began its descent. By the time they had landed, the twins were wide-awake and starting to get wound up. Silently, Reid marveled at their energy. Had he been that hyper and wound when he was eight? Shaking his head, the genius corralled his kids off of the jet and down to the tarmac. Since the twins were dragging their suitcases along behind them, Liam and Mariah almost tripped Reid and Morgan when they came to nearly a dead stop. There on the tarmac waiting for the team was Garcia and her beloved car Ester. Standing next to the perky tech was Gideon, with a thin packet of paper held in his hand. Walking forward between the kids, Reid approached his mentor. As Gideon thrust the packet toward him, Reid looked down at his hands. His messenger bag was hanging across his left shoulder, in one hand Reid had his go-bag, and the children's garment bag was in the other. Thrusting both bags at Gideon, Reid rolled his eyes at the older man.

"If you want me to take a look at that packet, you need to take the bags. I only have the two arms Gideon."

Smirking as he took the bags in exchange for the papers, the older man couldn't resist teasing Reid. "You mean you haven't evolved an extra pair of hands yet? Just imagine how much more work you would get done in a day."

Rising to the bait, Reid displayed his slight flair for the dramatic. Bringing his empty hand up over his heart and stumbling back into Morgan, Reid gasped. "My god, you do have a sense of humor! Quick JJ, call a press conference!" Hearing giggles from off to his side, Reid smiled happily. He had managed to get his children to relax and laugh again. This was a good sign to him, and as Reid looked back at the rest of the team he saw smiles on their faces as well.

Looking down at the papers in his hand, Reid noticed that it was a packet all about one of Morgan's properties. This must have been Gideon's choice. Scanning through the packet, Reid decided that his mentor had good taste. The house had six bedrooms, two of which were master suites. There were two and a half bathrooms not counting the ones in the master suites, so everyone could almost have their own. Looking at the details for the rest of the house, Reid saw that there was a loft style office with a note stating that its door could be locked. Based on the dimensions listed, he noticed that both he and Gideon could share the room comfortably. The packet also showed pictures of a large back yard with a tall wooden fence that would be perfect for a dog. 'Oh great,' Reid thought, 'my kids are going to want a dog. This isn't going to go well, dogs hate me.'

Feeling a slight tug on his pant leg, Reid looked down into the face of his daughter. "We forgot to ask you before, but you don't have a dog do you?" Mariah did her best to sound brave, but she could tell that her dad caught the waver in her voice.

"No I don't. Morgan and Rossi both do, but dogs don't like me very much. We can try to find one that can tolerate me if you want." Reid said gently as he crouched down. It had always been a great comfort to him growing up when his mother would crouch down to be at his level.

Shaking her head, Mariah relaxed her shoulder, not even realizing that she had tensed them. "No that's ok. Dogs scare me, probably because I got bit by one when I was four. I would love to get a cat, but I'm really allergic to them so I can't."

"You too? Sorry, but I guess you must have gotten that from me. And don't you worry about your uncles' dogs; Clooney and Mudgie are very nice. They actually put up with me, so I'm sure they will be very gentle with you."

Smiling up at Reid, Mariah nodded happily. She was relieved that he wasn't upset at her for being scared of dogs. Leaning forward to hug her dad, Mariah decided that Virginia was a much better place to live than Salt Lake, even if she had only been there for a few minutes so far. Mariah didn't want to let go of her dad, he gave really great hugs in her opinion, but eventually she did. It seemed her timing was spot on too, because as soon as Reid stood back to his full height, Mariah and Liam's stomachs growled loudly.

"See! I'm not the only one who's hungry. We should go get dinner together, but we need Jack, Will, and Henry first." Garcia exclaimed, pointing first at Gideon before directing her attention to the rest of the team. When she suggested Chinese food, the perky red head caught the twins sharing a cautious look.

"Oh do you two not like Chinese? We can do something else if you want."

"No we do like Chinese food. But can we go somewhere that has forks? Mariah and I can't use chopsticks. We've tried a lot, but it's like foraging for food with pencils." Liam pouted, not looking anyone in the eye. The poor boy nearly jumped out of his skin when Garcia squealed happily.

"Don't worry about a thing honey, your dad can't use chopstick either. I'm told he said almost the exact same thing you just did when the team found out on a case. You and your sister are positively adorable!" Garcia leaned down and pulled the blushing kids into a big hug. Her new niece and nephew were so cute, and so much like their dad.

Walking around his team, Hotch stopped to speak briefly to Reid. "Go ahead and go pick a restaurant. I need to stop in the office for just a second before I go get jack. Call me when you all pick someplace so I know where to go." Reid nodded in understanding before turning back to the others.

Hurrying to the office, Hotch rushed to his desk to find the forms he would need. Today was Friday, and he planned on giving the team the next week of. Reid would have gotten the vacation anyway to see to hi kids, but Hotch knew the rest of the team would want to help. Signing the last of the time off forms hastily, he rushed them to Strauss. That was one conversation he was not looking forward to. Handing the paperwork to the blonde woman, Hotch felt very much like a disobedient child visiting the principal's office.

"You're giving your team next week off? Not that you don't all deserve it, but this is such short notice. Any particular reason behind this, Agent Hotchner?" Erin Strauss was very curious to know what was going on.

"While on our last case, Dr. Reid was informed of the fact that he has two eight year old children. Their mother is dead, and in fact the team attended her funeral this morning before flying home. My team needs a break, and Dr. Reid could use the support and extra hands to move and get his children settled in." Hotch was proud of himself for maintaining such a professional air about his niece and nephew.

"Very well then, your requests are approved. Give Dr. Reid and his children my condolences?"

"Of course. We'll be back in a week." As Hotch walked out of the building, he couldn't help but replay the encounter in his head. That had almost been too easy; but then again, Strauss had backed off some since Haley's death. Aaron only hoped his son would be as welcoming toward Liam and Mariah as Strauss had sounded. Hotch had been thinking so hard that he almost missed his turn to get home. Thankfully he managed to make the turn off without difficulty, and had just gotten a parking space when his phone rang. Moving into the elevator of his building, Hotch confirmed with JJ that dinner would be at their usual Chinese place, and he cryptically told the blonde that he had good news for the team.

Walking into his apartment, Hotch almost fell back into the hall. Jack had come running and had slammed happily into his dad's legs. Smiling down at the cheerful boy, Hotch told his son that they were going to dinner with the rest of the team. He also explained to Jack who Liam and Mariah were and why they had moved to Virginia. As Hotch buckled his son into his car seat, the little boy looked at his father with serious eyes.

"Daddy, do you think that Liam and Mariah's mommy is in heaven with mommy?"

"Yeah I do Jack. I'll bet they're already best friends. You know what the best part of having new cousins is?"

"What?"

"I got next week off for everybody, so you'll have a whole week to play with your new cousins and get to know them."

Jack cheered with excitement from the backseat of Hotch's SUV as they pulled into the parking lot. He smiled softly as his son nearly drug him into the restaurant. As the Hotchner men spotted their group, Jack began to pull harder on his father's arm.

The BAU team was having a grand time at dinner, telling all kinds of funny storied for the children to hear. They were having such a good time in fact, that JJ had forgotten that Hotch had news. Thankfully the team's leader had not, and so he made the announcement just as the fortune cookies arrived. As all the agents thanked Hotch repeatedly, Will and Gideon shared a contemplative look that Rossi happened to catch.

"What are you two scheming over there Jason?"

"Oh not much Dave. Just thinking about what all needs to get done so we can get moved in this week."

With a groan, Morgan wadded up his napkin and threw it at Gideon, declaring that such things could wait until morning. All too soon, dinner ended and the agents went their separate ways for the night.

**TR: Whew, that's done. In the next chapter, much shopping is done. Would you guys rather see Morgan's mom show up for a surprise visit or his sisters? Feedback helps me write guys!**


	8. Chapter 8

**TR: At last! Chapter 8 is here! I only own the twins, so don't sue me.**

Groaning as he rolled out of bed, Morgan glared at his alarm clock. The little piece of technology informed him that it was six in the morning, so why did the doorbell just ring? Cursing his luck for this particular Saturday morning, Morgan stumbled down the stairs while pulling a shirt over his head. Down in the entryway, Clooney stood off to one side in cautious curiosity. Opening the door, Morgan forgot every curse and angry word that had been about to come out of his mouth. Standing on his porch and looking far too peppy for so early on a Saturday, Fran Morgan and her daughters smiled at Derek.

"Mama? What are you doing here? And why so early?" Stepping aside to let his mother and sisters in, Derek tried to rub the last remnant of sleep from his eyes.

"Well your sisters and I decided that since you always come to see us but we never come to see you, it was time for us to come to you for a change. I know it's early, but I want to spend as much time with my boy before you get back to work Monday. Now go get dressed so we can take you to breakfast." Fran had herded Derek toward the stairs to his room as Sarah and Desiree began to pamper Clooney.

Turning to face his mother before climbing the stairs, Derek bit the inside of his cheek for a moment before speaking. "Hey Mama, do you mind if I call and invite a friend? I don't know if you remember Dr. Reid or not, but he just found out he has kids. The guy is my friend, but I'm not sure he has enough food in his apartment for himself, let alone two eight year olds too."

With a smile on her face at the memory of the skinny white boy who had helped her son, Fran readily agreed to Derek's proposition. She knew her son didn't think that boy ate enough anyway, so Fran wasn't about to refuse the opportunity to mother someone who so obviously needed it.

Upstairs in his room, Derek decided to call Reid before grabbing a quick shower. Dialing his friend's number, he counted six rings before Reid picked up.

"Hello?"

"Morning kid. Time to get up."

"Derek Morgan, it isn't even a quarter after six. If you don't have a very good reason for calling me, I will hurt you the next time I see you."

Laughing slightly at the sleepy threat, Morgan continued to talk. "Trust me Reid, I know how early it is. My mom and sisters are in town and they are taking me out to breakfast. I called to tell you that you and your kids are invited to join us."

"By which you mean I need to get them up and ready to go because you aren't going to take no for an answer, am I right?"

"You know me well pretty boy. We should be there in about thirty minutes."

"No. You don't have a car that can sit seven people in it. I'll wake Liam and Mariah and you can call me in half an hour so I know where to meet you. Just bring all the paperwork and keys that I need so we can get into the house after breakfast."

"Will do Reid, I'll call you back in thirty."

Snapping his phone shut with his left hand and rubbing his eyes with his right, Reid forced himself to wake up. Stretching to place his cell back on the nightstand, Reid reached down to poke each of his kids in the side. He chuckled slightly as they both groaned and curled tighter to his sides. Reid had intended to sleep on his couch last night, but the twins had wanted to snuggle with their dad.

"Wake up. We have thirty minutes to get ready."

"Daddy, it's too early." Mariah whined.

"I know it's early, but it is time to get up. We have a lot to get done today and we need a good breakfast to do it. Your Uncle Derek's mom and sisters are in town, and they've invited us to join them. Now hurry up, we each get ten minutes to get ready. I'm going to go first, so you two need to get up and pick out your clothes for today. We'll be painting this afternoon, so wear something that can get dirty."

As he moved off of the bed and toward his closet, Reid had described the coming day. Heading toward the bathroom with an armful of clothing, he was pleased to see that Liam and Mariah were getting out of bed. He figured they were still young enough to change in the same room if they wanted to. Changing into a pair of rarely worn old jeans and a light sweater, Reid quickly brushed his teeth and hair while he had the chance.

Walking back into his bedroom to put on socks and shoes, Reid wasn't too surprised to see both of his kids up and mostly dressed. Liam was pulling on a pair of mismatched socks and a pair of old tennis shoes that had been colored on by at least four differently colored sharpies. On the other side of the bed, Mariah was struggling to pull a brush through her hair. Gently patting Liam's head, Reid motioned his son toward the bathroom before moving to help his daughter. Sitting on the edge of his bed, Reid pulled Mariah to stand between his knees as he began to work out the knots in her hair. He was mildly surprised to find Mariah's hair cool and almost damp in spots from her bath the night before, but Reid quickly realized that the damp spots were simply proof of how thick her hair was.

By the time Liam emerged, Mariah was ready to take her turn for the morning. As Reid pulled on his own socks and a well-worn pair of converse, he was pleased to see Liam gathering his coat and Mariah's. As the two men moved toward the living room, Reid was almost surprised to see that Mariah was already waiting for them. A small part of his mind chose to savor her speed; supposedly girls began to take hours in the mornings once they hit puberty. Putting on coats and scarves, Reid checked his watch and saw that they were ready with five minutes to spare.

Pulling out his cell and dialing Morgan's number as they headed down to the street, Reid couldn't help but smirk at his friend's rushed tone on the other end. "Any idea where we're meeting for breakfast? The kids and I are ready to go."

"Man that so is not fair. I can't get my sisters to leave Clooney alone so that we can leave. Um, there is a Perkins close to your new place, how about we meet there?"

"Ok that sounds good, we'll meet you guys there."

Once he got the location figured out, Reid started his car up and headed off. Looking in his rearview mirror at the backseat, he asked the twins if they had any ideas for paint color in their rooms. Almost before he had finished speaking, Mariah blurted out her choice.

"I want green! And not pastel green, I mean green like the leaves on a tree. Is that ok?"

"Yes it is, I'm sure we can find you some paint in that color. What about you Liam, any preference?"

"I think I want blue. I've always wanted a blue room; maybe I can draw some fish and hang them as a mobile from the ceiling. Are you going to paint your room too dad?"

"You know what Liam, I think I will. Maybe a nice deep purple would be good. We'll have to remember to call Grandpa after breakfast so he can meet us there and get his key. Right now I'm going to say that we're only painting the bedrooms, so we might get done today."

"Are we gonna call everyone to come and help us paint then Dad?" Mariah inquired. She really enjoyed having a big family to love and spend time with.

"You know what, that is a very good idea. We can start making calls after we get the paint and all the supplies paid for." Reid had just finished parking at the restaurant, so he turned to smile at his kids before getting out. As it happened, their timing was perfect; Derek and his family pulled up just as the Reids reached the door. Within moments, the group of seven headed inside.


End file.
